Fuel loss indicator



Oct. 20, 1931. R. E. BISSELL FUEL LOSS INDICATOR Filed March 16, 1927 Patented Oct. 20, 1931 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE RICHARD IE. BISSE'LL, OF CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR -T O THOMPSON PROD- UGTS, ENG, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO,A CORPORATION OF OHIO FUEL Loss mn rcuon Application filed Starch 1c, 1927. Serial No. 175,912.

My invention relates to methods of and devices for indicating the fuel loss in an internal combustion engine and is particularly adaptable for use in connectionwith the engine of a motor vehicle, its object being to enable the driver thereof to determine the character of the mixture supplied to the cylinders and thereby indicate to him improper conditions which result in fuel loss, when such conditions exist. Y

It is well known that the products of combustion of an internal combustion engine ineludecombustible gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane, even when the engine works at its maximum power efliciency. The quantity of such gases in the exhaust is in proportion to the richness of the mixture supplied to the cylinders, so that if the quantity of such gases in the exhaust 2 were measured, the character of the mixture being supplied to the engine would be indicated. I have discovered a method and means for ascertaining relative quantities of such gases in the exhaust, which contemplate the withdrawal of a minor part of the exhaust gases, mixing them with air, burning the combustible constituents of the mixture in a closed chamber, and measuring the temperature in the vicinity of the heat produced by such combustion. As the temperature produced has a definite relation to the quan- -tity of combustible constituents in the exhaust, it aifords an index to the richness of the mixture supplied to the engine.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain means for carrying out my invention, the disclosed.

means, however, constituting but one of the various mechanical forms in which the principle of my invention may be employed. p

In said annexed drawings:

Figure 1 represents a broken vertical axial section of an apparatus for practicing my inrimltion and shown as applied to a motor vev Fig. 2 represents a detail view taken upon the plane indicated by line 11-11 of Fig. 1, and in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 3 represents an enlarged section taken upon the plane indicated by line III-III,

end to a plate 14 mounted on the dash board Fig. 1, and in the direction indicated by th arrows.

Fig. 4; represents a fragmentary section, similar to that of Fig. 1, showing a modified construction.

Fig. 5 represents a detail yiewtaken upon the plane indicated by line VV of Fig. 4.

In the illustrated embodiment, the exhaust duct 1 of a motor vehicle has connected therewith a pipe 2 which is connected at its other end to a pressure regulator 3 which may be of any well-known form, but as shown, consists oftwo chambers 4: and 5 divided by a horizontal partition 6. In the center of the partition is an opening 7 controlled by a valve 8 connected with a flexible diaphragm 9 pressed by a coiled spring 10', the tension of which may be regulated by an adjusting screw 11. A pipe 12 connects the upper chamber 5 to a combustion chamber 13 secured at one 15. The combustion chamber 13 has an inner lining of refractory heat insulating material 16, through which the pipe 12 passes at a point midway of the combustion chamber, into which is fixed a spark plug 18 provided with electrodes 19 and 20 which may be of ordinary construction; but electrode 20 is preferably constructed of a platinum wire which acts as a catalyst. The spark may be supplied from the usual ignition system of the engine, but it is preferred that a separate spark coil be employed connected to the usual battery and adapted to give a substantially continuous spark. p A temperature responsive member 21 is located in anyconvenient position to enable it to respond to'the variation in temperature produced by combustion of the gases in the combustion chamber. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the temperature responsive means is located in the combustion chamber at the end opposite the spark plug 18, andconsists of a spiral member built up of two metal strips having diiferent coefficients of expansion, the outer end of which is connected with an anchor 22 fixed to the wall definin chamber 13. The inner end is fixed to a spin e 23 passing through and bearing in the end wall of the combustion chamber, and to the outer end thereof is fixed a pointer 24, which may be made adjustable on the spindle for purposes of calibration, according to well-known practice. Beneath the pointer, on the face of the plate 14 is a scale 25 which may be calibrated in any desired way according to the principlesherein disclosed. The pointer and scale are protected by a transparent cover 26.

. arranged with relation to the pointer that the I Venturi opening 29. The space in front ofthe diaphragm 27 is a mixing chamber in which the exhaust gas and air are commingled. The combustion chamber is provided with an outlet pipe 30 discharging into the atmosphere.-

The scale 25 is preferably so calibrated and pointer will stand at a selected point when the combustible constituents carried into the combustion chamber 13 are in that quantity which results from the use of the leanest mixture that will afford the maximum power cf ficiency. If the richness of the mixture is increased beyond this point, the exhaust gases will contain a greater quantity of combustible gases of the nature indicated, such greater quantity will be burned in the combustion chamber and produce a higher temperature therein, which will be indicated accordingly by the pointer. The pointer will advance over the scale'in proportion to the richness of the mixture supplied to the engine. The operator will accordingly know when the mixture supplied to the engine is too rich,

and, b the calibration of the scale, be informe of the degree thereof in excess of the proper mixture, and the mixture supplied to the engine may then be regulated accordingly.

The combustible constituents of the exhaust gases burned in the combustion chamber constitute only a small proportion of the total volume and consequently flame produced by combustion is comparatively weak. The principal function of the-regulator is there,- fore to reducethepressure oftheexhaustgases SO'flS to make it possible to introduce them into the combustion chamber at low velocity to avoid extinguishingthe flame. The. ten sion on the regulator valve will preferably be so adjusted as to cause the gasesto be delivered into the combustion chamber at a velocity as low as possible while securing the most effective combustion. The presssure regulator also secures an avera e composition of exhaust gases resulting rom a plus rality of explosions of the engine. As the gases pass from the regulator to the combustion chamber through a passage which remains fixed, the rate of flow of the gas into the combustion chamber will be substantially constant for any setting of the pressure regulator, and while such a substantially constant rate of flow is desirable, it is not considered absolutely essential, it being of more importance to deliver the gas into the combustion chamber at low velocity. In the instrument disclosed herein the gas is delivered against the end of the combustion chamber and in the vicinity where combustion is effected, whereby its velocity is further re duced and its pressure increased, creating the most favorable conditions for combustion.

The chamber 4 of the regulator also functions to condense the stream in the exhaust gases, a valve 31 being provided which may remain slightly open or may be opened from time to time todraw off the water of condensation, by which means the gases are substantially deprived of their moisture, causing them to be delivered into the combustion chamber in a substantially dry-condition.

will be apparent from the above description. As the exhaust gases issue through the exhaust duct 1 a ortion thereof cntersthe lower chamber 4 o the pressure regulator, and thence through the opening 7 into the chamber 5 until the pressure in the latter chamber exerted on the lower side ofthe diaphragm exceeds the pressure of the spring 10 whereupon the diaphragm 9 and valve 8 are caused to move upwardly and close the opening. When the pressure in the chamber 5 is reduced, more gas is admitted from chamber 4 and thus a substantially constant pressure is maintained in the chamber 5. From the chamber 5 the gas passes to the combustion chamber 13, being commingled with a proper amount of air at an intermediate point. The

commingled gases are directed by the end of pipe 17 into the spark gap of the sparking device by which combustion is effected, as more fully described in a patent granted to Thompson and Bissell, No. 1,605,484, dated 0pemtion.The operation of the device November 2, 1926. The products of combustion pass rearwardly about the coil 21 and to the outlet pipe 30 to atmosphere. The expansion of the coil gives motion to the pointer 24 which moves overthe scale 25 and thus indicates the character of combustible mixture which is being supplied to the engine.

a In the modified form of'the device shown in Figs. 4 and 5, I have substituted a thermometer 32 for the temperature indicator previously described. The tube of the thermometer is bent so that the mercury bulb lies within the combustion chamber and the graduated portion is located so as to be visible to the driver. I

Many variations may be made of the various features of the process and apparatus without departing from the spirit of the in vention. It is therefore to be understoodthat the invention is not confined to the deaaaaeao tails shown but embraces all changes and modifications falling within the terms of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device for indicating the-character of a combustible mixture supplied to an internal combustion engine comprising, in combination, a combustion chamber, means for mixing a minor part of the exhaust gases from the engine with air, means for introducing the commingled gases into the combustion chamber at low velocity, a sparking device for effecting the combustion of the commingled gases, and indicating means responsive to the temperature in the combustion chamber.

2. In a device for indicating the character of a combustible mixture supplied to an internal combustion engine, comprising, in combination, a combustion chamber, means for mixing a minor part of the exhaust gases from the engine with air, means for introducing the commingled gases into the combustion chamber at low velocity, a substantially continuous sparking device for effecting combustion of the commingled gases, and indicating means responsive to the temperature in the combustion chamber. I

3. In a device for indicating the character of a combustible mixture supplied to an internal combustion engine comprising, in combination, a combustion chamber, means for mixing a minor part of the exhaust gases from the engine with air, means for introducing the commingled gases into the combustion chamber at low velocity, a sparking device including a catalytic wire for effecting combustion of the commingled gases, and indicating means responsive to the temperature in the combustion chamber.

4. In combination, in a motor vehicle including an internal combustion engine and a dash, an auxiliary combustion chamber, means for conveying exhaust gases of the engine to said chamber, means for regulating the flow of gases to said chamber, means for mixing air with said gases, sparking means for effecting combustion of the commingled gases in said chamber, temperature respon sive means in said chamber, and indicating means on said dash connected to the temperature responsive means for indicating the character of the combustible mixture supplied to said engine. 5. In a device for indicating the character of a combustible mixture supplied to an engine, an auxiliary combustion chamber, a

pressure regulator connected thereto, means for conveying a part of the exhaust gases of the engine to said regulator, said regulator controlling the flow of said conveyed gases to said chamber, means for effecting combustion of the gases delivered to said chamber, and indicating means responsive to the temperature in said chamber and calibrated in engine.

6. The combination with a combustion en- I gine of means for receiving a part of the exhaust gases discharged from said engine, means for burning said part of said gases, means responsive to the temperature of the burning. gases, and a device operated by said temperature responsive means for indicating the'richness of a. combustible mixture supplied to said engine.

7. The method of determining the charac-' ter and richness of the combustible mixture supplied to an internal combustion engine which consists in withdrawing a predetermined quantity of gas from the exhaust gases of the engine, causing combustion of said withdrawn exhaust gas and utilizing the heat given off by said combustion to determine in terms of richness the character of mixture being supplied to the engine.

8. The method of determining the charac ter and richness of the combustible mixture supplied to an internal combustion engine which consists in withdrawing a quantity of gas from the exhaust gases of the engine, commingling air with said withdrawn gas, causing said commingled gases to flow at a low velocity,-burning the commingled gases and utilizing the heat given off during the burning of said commingled gases to determine in terms of richness, the character of mixture being supplied to the engine.

Signed by me this 26 day of February,

RICHARD E. BISSELL. 

